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“Flight 3411 from Chicago to Louisville was overbooked. After our team looked for volunteers, one customer refused to leave the aircraft voluntarily and law enforcement was asked to come to the gate.We apologize for the overbook situation.”

There is no word on the condition of the man removed from the plane.

One passenger said after the incident: "..kids were crying and people are disturbed."

This is a bit much. I'm not a sue-happy person, but United deserves to be sued over this bullshit, especially since some media outlets are reporting the man they dragged off the plane was knocked unconcious in the process.

United is really bad for overbooking their own flights. We've been on more than a few that were packed to the gills and then this is what they do....expect people who paid for tickets to get off to remedy their mistake of booking too many passengers on the plane and not having anywhere to put them all. Seems to me United needs a lesson in how to not overbook their own flights.

A man was forcibly removed from an overbooked United Airlines flight Sunday, sparking widespread horror after a video of the incident was posted online:

According to the passenger who filmed the video, United initially asked if four volunteers on the flight from Chicago to Louisville would be willing to give up their seat for $400, a free night in the hotel, and a flight at 3 p.m. Monday. The plane required the seats for flight crew members, who were needed in Louisville in order to arrive in time for their next flights. When no passenger accepted the trade, the airline doubled the offer to $800. When still no one accepted, United reportedly used a computer to randomly choose passengers who had already boarded the flight to be required to give up their seats.

After two people willingly left the plane, the man in the video reportedly said he was unwilling to surrender his seat because he was a doctor and had patients to see in the Louisville area Monday morning. He was then aggressively dragged from the plane, his face bloodied by officers forcing him out of his seat. Passengers filmed the incident, and the man can be heard screaming in captured footage. The man was eventually allowed to re-board the plane, which left with a two-hour delay.

"Everyone was shocked and appalled," said Audra D. Bridges, who recorded the video and gave her account of the events to The Courier-Journal. "There were several children on the flight as well that were very upset."

A spokesperson for United said: "Flight 3411 from Chicago to Louisville was overbooked. After our team looked for volunteers, one customer refused to leave the aircraft voluntarily and law enforcement was asked to come to the gate. We apologize for the overbook situation." Jeva Lange

They should have known their flight was full and never allowed the last four people to board. That is their fault. EVERYONE has an important reason to fly and asking some people to give up their seats for people who had to work was outrageous!

Why should he, as a passenger that had purchased a ticket, booked onto that flight, checked in, followed every rule, be made to wait for a subsequent flight because United sold more tickets than they had seats.

United deserve to be sued over this.

Quoting 4evrinbluejeans:

My question is why didn't that grown man act like an adult and walk off the plane when he was originally asked?

What should United have done when the man refused to deboard their plane? It looks like he behaved like a toddler.

Why should he have to leave the plane because United overbooked its own flight? This is a frequent problem for United Airlines. They oversell their flights under the impression that some passengers will either cancel or be no-shows on the day of the flight. But when that doesn't happen, and they've sold more seats than they actually have for the flight, why should paying customers be inconvenienced?

I've been on flights where this has happened. Thankfully, there have been enough volunteers who agreed to take a later flight. But why should people be forced to do that? Most people plan a flight day/time based on a real need to get to their destination on a certain schedule and realistically cannot agree to take another flight that may put them at their destination hours behind schedule.

Based on some of the tweets from other passengers on the plane, I think United handled the entire situation poorly.

Quoting 4evrinbluejeans:

My question is why didn't that grown man act like an adult and walk off the plane when he was originally asked?

What should United have done when the man refused to deboard their plane? It looks like he behaved like a toddler.

They then selected passengers at random. This is not unique to United. Since when is the acceptable response to something we don't like to go limp and behave like a toddler?

They allowed the man to reboard the flight. He could have just as easily left the flight when asked and pleaded his case at the desk and reboarded. Instead of acting like a child and requiring the police to be called.

Quoting UnoDuoTres:

United asked for volunteers - he didn't volunteer.

Why should he, as a passenger that had purchased a ticket, booked onto that flight, checked in, followed every rule, be made to wait for a subsequent flight because United sold more tickets than they had seats.

United deserve to be sued over this.

Quoting 4evrinbluejeans:

My question is why didn't that grown man act like an adult and walk off the plane when he was originally asked?

What should United have done when the man refused to deboard their plane? It looks like he behaved like a toddler.

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